Ethan Rash

Chief Pilot

How long have you been flying?
Seven years!

Where do you live?
Virginia.

What makes Sol a standout place to lead a team?

Sol has a robust and detailed hiring process that brings in the best possible candidates for the roles. Everyone has a base line of our core values which makes it easy to work with one another and achieve our goals.

Which of Sol’s core values do you try to model into your leadership style?

Integrity is the core value I want to model the most to my people. Without integrity the other core values would be impossible to maintain. Given our remote work environment and the nature of aerial survey, integrity is essential for day to day operations.

What excites you most about the work Sol is doing?

The most exciting thing to me about the work Sol is doing is setting up the next generation of pilots to succeed. We hold our pilots to a hire standard that matches airlines or other higher time operations. Our pilots come out of this role better equipped than any other low time pilot job I would argue.

What do you like most about your job?
My favorite part about my job is getting to work with other great pilots. I very much enjoy the manager on duty role.

How did this opportunity with Sol find its way to you?

I had just finished a contract flying job and had relocated the aircraft back to its home in Texas. I was sitting at DFW looking for my next role in aviation and searched “twin Cessna aerial survey” and landed on Sols website. Luckily it was during a hiring phase and I got in!

What have been some challenging moments for you at work?
The most challenging and also rewarding experiences usually revolve around making solo decisions in the plane. Flying single pilot is always a challenge but incredibly rewarding.

What makes Sol stand out from the competition?

Sol has airline level processes and safety as an aerial survey company. It is unmatched in the industry!

What are the first three things on your bucket list?
Fly the VFR corridor in NYC, visit all 50 states, and get my master’s degree.

Do you have any role models?
I have been lucky to have some strong role models in my life to keep me on the right track and grow as a person. My Dad, Todd, and Scott are a few very influential role models in my life.

What or who is your inspiration? Why so?

I am inspired by a constant drive to do more and be better every day. Everyday is a new challenge and opportunity to better myself or others.